Metals, metal alloys and intermetallic compounds having the ability to dissolve large amounts of hydrogen are unique materials with properties of great potential value. The use of these materials as hydrogen storage media has long been recognized and much research to date has been directed towards development of these materials as storage materials; see, in particular, G. G. Libowitz "Metal Hydrides for Energy Storage, " Critical Materials Problems in Energy Production, Academic Press, New York, 1976, Chapter 28; J. J. Reilly et al., Scientific American 1980, 242, p. 118; R. L. Cohen et al., Science, 1981, 1081, p. 214; and G. D. Sandrock et al., Chem. Tech., 1981, p. 754.
The chemical use of these materials has received much less attention. However, since hydrogen is involved in many industrial chemical and petrochemical processes, some exploration of these unique materials in such applications has been undertaken. In particular, chemical applications including the use of hydrogen dissolving metals and alloys in catalytic hydrogenation reactions have been reported by T. Takeshita et al., J. Catal., 1976, Vol. 44, p. 236, T. Imomoto et al., J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1984, p. 163; K. Saga et al., J. Phys. Chem., 1977, Vol. 81, p. 1762, and in Org. Mater. (USSR), 1978, Vol. 14, p. 9.
Dehydrogenation reactions, for example the conversion of an alkane to an alkene, are thermodynamically unfavorable at moderate temperatures. To obtain high conversions, high temperatures must be used; alternatively, the reaction may be thermodynamically driven at moderate temperatures by the use of oxygen in the reaction mixture. However, both of these measures give rise to unwanted and wasteful side reactions. In the former case, high temperatures in excess of 700.degree. C. can give rise to unwanted coking, cracking and isomerization reactions. In the later case, oxygen is often employed to drive the reactions through the formation of water. However, the use of oxygen can result in combustion reactions causing the conversion of hydrocarbons to carbon oxides. Thus, the need exists for the development of a low temperature dehydrogenation process to obtain high yields of hydrogenated products which avoids the occurrence of the above-noted side reactions which cause the loss of valuable reagents.